An Overview of theCenter for Clinical Immunology
at Stanford University

The Center for Clinical Immunology at Stanford (CCIS) unites investigators
from throughout the world of medicine and within the University at large
bringing discoveries in basic science to bear on the most difficult illnesses
known to mankind. These are the diseases which disable our immune system's
ability to defend us.

Treating Autoimmune Diseases
While the new Center for Clinical Immunology at Stanford (CCIS) covers
a vast range of diseases, the Center's current areas of focus are type
1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis.
Bone Marrow Transplantation
The Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT) at Stanford consists
of several interconnected components: its research laboratory, which
is part of CCIS; the clinical BMT laboratory; and the in-patient and
out-patient care facilities at the Medical Center. Novel experimental
concepts are continually being developed in the research laboratory,
explored in the clinical laboratory, and tested in trials in the in-patient
and out-patient clinics.

Solid Organ Transplantation
The initial problems in organ transplantation were technical and largely
associated with the surgery, itself. Now that most of those problems
have been overcome, CCIS physician-scientists in fields ranging from
microbiology to surgery are pursuing the greater challenge or as they
put it, "the holy grail" - manageable transplantation tolerance
in humans.
The steady improvement in transplantation survival rates seen each year
of late is due in large part to greater experience with immunosuppression,
to a better understanding of the immune response on a molecular level,
and to the development of additional immumosuppressive agents such as
tacrolimus, monoclonal antibodies and sirolimus. Further advances in
understanding and implementing immune tolerance strategies should improve
graft survival of all transplantable organs.

CCIS physician-scientists, under the leadership of surgeon Oscar Salvatierra,
M.D., transplantation biologist Sam Strober MD., and others, feel confident
that immune tolerance in human recipients of organ transplants will one
day be possible without continued immunosuppression.

EDUCATION & TRAINING - Fundraising Priorities
Because the Center for Clinical Immunology is a new concept, there is
a strong emphasis on education and training at CCIS. Currently, CCIS
leaders are spearheading three separate initiatives to provide increased
funding for young researchers. Funding for education and research support
is essential to help young investigators through the early years of their
careers.
Many friends have already come forward with support, but increased philanthropic
participation is crucial to the advancement of translational medicine
in diseases involving the immune system.

1. CCIS Summer Intern Program
Five years ago, under the aegis of CCIS, a fund was launched by a local
family to create a summer internship program for Bay Area high school
students interested in biology. The eight-week program enabled up to
10 students to take part in research, attend introductory lectures by
selected faculty, and gain some exposure to clinical medicine. Along
with an incomparable experience in the realm of medical science, each
student received a modest stipend.
Additional support from other interested parties will be necessary to
extend this very successful program into the future.

2. CCIS Faculty Clinical Scholars
Most federal grants go to laboratory-based researchers with established
programs. As a result, it is difficult to find research funding for young
physician-scientists who are also trying to teach students and care for
patients. At Stanford, young faculty members in immunology may receive
support from the Fund for CCIS Faculty Clinical Scholars.
The Fund, launched two years ago by several local families, provides
partial salary relief for up to three years to support the work of young
investigators interested in bringing technological advances in immunology
to the patient's beside.
The Fund is currently supporting the work of the following CCIS researchers:
Janice Brown, M.D., a specialist in Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT);
Mark Genovese, M.D., Immunology & Rheumatology; Keith Goldstein,
M.D., BMT; and Minnie Sarwal, M.D., Pediatrics.
Further funding is needed to guarantee this program's success for the
foreseeable future.

3. "Introduction to Medicine" - for BioX Ph.D.s
The newest funding initiative in CCIS is a course designed to familiarize
Ph.D. students in fields such as Immunology, Bioengineering and Bioinformatics
with the approaches physicians use to understand human disease. Greater
familiarity with medicine will help these scientists understand the diseases
they are attempting to cure.
The course was conceived shortly after the announcement last spring
of a gift from donor Jim Clark to build the "BioX" facility at
Stanford - a center that will bring together professors and students
from many disciplines to maximize the use of new technologies in the
search for solutions to the world's most challenging diseases. Jane Parnes,
M.D., Immunology & Rheumatology, and Betsy Mellins, M.D., Pediatrics,
are developing the course focusing on multi-system disorders such as
type I and type II diabetes mellitus.

Funding is needed to develop teaching materials for the course and to
provide salary support for the instructors.